In my U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,443,793, 3,558,100 and 3,612,102, I have described several valves with rotary-control elements which have unique advantages over conventional rotary-control valves. I have now discovered that my patented valves can be integrated with useful silencing means to produce new and unobvious results.
Control valves with noise-silencing means have been described in the patent literature, as well as in technical publications. Many such valves are commercially available. For example, patents showing valves with such silencing means include the following:
______________________________________ 3,665,965 3,813,079 3,693,659 3,880,399 3,704,726 3,941,350 3,722,854 3,978,891 3,773,085 3,990,475 3,776,278 ______________________________________
The control valves with noise-silencing means, such as are known to me, however, have a common characteristic in that the silencing means are continuously and constantly in the path of the flowway through the valve and, therefore, continuously interfere with the flow of fluid, even when the valve is in its fully-opened position.